Overview

• Right-leaning outlets and a New York Post report assert that Buttigieg’s Department of Transportation allocated roughly $80 billion—about half its annual budget—to DEI grants, sidelining upgrades to its 1960s-era air traffic control system.
• Chris Meagher, Buttigieg’s spokesman, rejected those allegations, highlighting controller hiring increases, software improvements, new flight routes and a $5 billion investment in power and facilities infrastructure as evidence of ongoing modernization.
• Industry insiders told the Post that Buttigieg allegedly viewed ATC upgrades as counterproductive because they would increase flight volumes, which his critics say reflected a focus on climate and equity goals.
• In August 2023, Buttigieg’s DOT established an Advisory Committee on Transportation Equity, bringing in 24 members with expertise in policy, planning and diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility to shape its equity agenda.
• Secretary Sean Duffy halted identity-based observances in February 2025, saying such events distract from aviation safety and infrastructure priorities.